The city’s Environmental Health Department, through its Urban Biology Division, is working to make sure mosquitoes don’t become more than a simple nuisance during the summer.
“The biggest concern with mosquitoes is disease,” Nicholas Pederson, the city’s Urban Biology Division manager told KRQE. “In Albuquerque, West Nile is still our number one concern. Those mosquitoes can be found anywhere. They can be found in the neighborhoods or in the Bosque.”
A problem with mosquitoes normally isn't known until people are already bitten and scratching an itch. In order to get ahead of any potential outbreak, the city monitors the threat of mosquitoes in various ways. One effective method is trapping. “We trap and test mosquitoes for disease,” Pederson said. “And then, depending on what we catch, depending on mosquito numbers, types of mosquitoes and if we see disease in the community (like West Nile Virus), we actually have a treatment program.”
One of the devices used for trapping is called a sentinel trap. According to KRQE, the cylindrical, shop-vacuum-shaped trap uses dry ice along with a scent to attract mosquitoes. The dark color of the trap also attracts Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which like to lay eggs in darker-colored containers, Pederson said. The traps are placed throughout the city and in parks.
The mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus tend to be active during dusk hours and like to live near standing water, Pederson said. The city actively treats areas for mosquitoes, but residents can do their part by making sure there’s no standing water on their property, especially after heavy rain.
Pederson told KRQE that it doesn't take much for mosquitoes to find a place to breed. Even as little as a bottle cap full of water is enough. Residents can also request a mosquito spray from the city by calling 311.